Saatchi & Saatchi II

A Long-Standing Ad Agency Client Relocates and Refreshes a Decade Later

After more than 10 years in our multi-award-winning interior, advertising gurus Saatchi & Saatchi found themselves packing up and moving. The original project still looked amazingly fresh, but a jump from one Bloor Street tower to another was on the horizon. The company wanted to bring along as many elements of the design as possible, so they called B|A for help.

As with the precursor, our first move was to strip the new space down to the plenum ceiling and concrete floors. True to the previous space, the new reception area is characterized by the same iconic features: molded plywood Eames chairs, marble-topped Saarinen tables. And don't forget the Vitra Heart Cone chair that physically embodies Saaatchi’s “Lovemarks” marketing ethos.

One area the client wanted to see change was the lunch area – the way staff uses the space has evolved, so the new café is larger and more prominent. Taking advantage of a curved window wall offering spectacular city views, we ran a custom banquette along the contour and added tables and beech wood seats opposite. The same design, a modern take on the Windsor chair, appears in bar height along a row of custom high-top tables. Delicate angular lighting from Montreal’s Lambert & Fils adds a touch of elegance that boosts the café’s appeal as a flexible events space.

The murals that were central to the original project could not be removed intact, leaving the designers to find a budget-friendly way to bring in more colour and character. Our team developed bold branded graphics that are simply painted on the walls in bright red, adding serious punch to the project without breaking the bank.